


(Do you) want to bet?

by Stuckyl0v3r



Category: X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: A stupid bet, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Bottom Charles Xavier, But very mean, Charles Is a Big Dorkface, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Cute boys, Drama & Romance, Erik Has Feelings, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Erik is a Sweetheart, Eventual Romance, Everyone in this story is a BAMF, Evil Sebastian Shaw, F/M, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, Hurt Charles, Jealous Erik, M/M, Not really evil, Poor Charles, Protective Erik, Smitten Erik, Top Erik Lehnsherr, Virgin Charles Xavier, except Shaw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-03-02 06:00:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18805165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stuckyl0v3r/pseuds/Stuckyl0v3r
Summary: This is probably the lamest cliche you've ever read. Why? Because it goes exactly like you imagined. Someone bets that they could deflower the virgin. Someone else falls in love with the said virgin. Angst and other feelings get involved when the virgin finds about the bet. What more can you say? This is high school... the weirdest phase of your life.





	1. one.

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo yeah, I'm back with something new because I just love writing about Erik and Charles being cute and Shaw being a d-bag. Hopefully I'll update more regularly than The Wedding Planner (which I'll update soon, I promise!).  
> I'm not planning on writing a long story, so enjoy it while it lasts. Thank you so much for all your support and for bearing with me and my ideas. It means the world to me!  
> As always, English isn't my first language, sorry if there are any grammar or writing mistakes! Leave a comment if you like, and hopefully you will! ^_^ 
> 
> Love ya xx

It goes like this:

Erik Lehnsherr does not have a lot of friends. Better yet, he doesn't have any friends. He has acquaintances, but never friends. No matter how much his mother is nagging him to put himself out there, to stop being a lone wolf because _every wolf is part of a pack, Schatzi_. It didn't matter for him, he believed people at his high school were too damn stupid to even raise at his level, but he also didn't want to upset his mother who was constantly all over him, worrying for the littlest things. So he made some acquaintances. People whom he could barely tolerate and people that were stepping on his nerves in the worst way possible.

There was Sebastian Shaw, with his stupid mutation and his stupid smirk. 

There was Emma Frost, with her icy glare and cruel telepathy. 

There was Azazel and whatever the hell his last name was, because no one fucking knew, okay? Not even Shaw. With his devil appearance (literal devil appearance, the man was fucking red and had a tail!) and muttered Russian curses. 

And there was Janos Quested, with his tornadoes and perfect hair. He was silent most of the time, that's why Erik liked him best between the four of them. 

It goes like this: 

It was a sunny day when the bet happened. Erik would never and could never forget that day. 

The four of them had a free period, and decided that they could hang around the bleachers and watch other people at P.E., maybe have a laugh, as Shaw put it. He invited Erik to join them and well, what was he going to do for an entire hour? Sit at the library and have the lady at the front desk glare at him the whole time? She really hated his guts, Erik never understood why. 

So he went, relaxing in the sun and not quite participating in the conversation. It's not like it was easy to do so with how talkative both Shaw and Emma were, Azazel occasionally muttering something while Janos munched on chocolate-covered raisins. 

"Please, Sebastian" Emma was scoffing, flipping her blonde curls over her shoulder "you're not that charming." 

Erik turned his head, interested now. It was always funny to see those two fighting. He looked at Shaw who was smiling indulgently at Emma, sliding closer to her on the bench and catching her chin between two fingers. 

"Sweetheart, you and I both know that I could have anyone I wanted. With them crawling back to me as soon as I'm finished." 

"Oh, really?" Emma purred, snatching her chin from Shaw's fingers, before looking over the field were people were either running laps, or playing football. Or whatever, Erik thought, that thing Americans called football. Usually football included a foot and a ball, not running and catching the ball with your hands, but what did he know, right? "Then how about I make you a bet? I choose one person from the field, boy or girl, you swing both ways anyway, don't you?" When Shaw nodded, she continued "If you could _have_ him or her, then I'll do anything for you."

_What a cheap deal_ , Erik thought, but didn't say anything, wanting to see where this was going. Shaw's eyes were sparkling with delight. 

"Anything?"

"Anything for you, sugar." she replied, smirking, before leaning in and pecking him on the lips - to seal the deal, Erik figured. 

"Well by all means, blondie. Choose someone."

Emma looked over at the football field, but the gleam in her eyes told Erik that it was just a scam. She already had someone in mind, and she was clearly planning something, otherwise she wouldn't have made this ridiculous bet. Emma was above that. 

Apparently it took her a minute to finally choose, and when she did, she pointed in the direction of two guys stopping for water after trying to out run each other to get it. 

"Him." she said.

"Hm? Who? The tall one?" 

"No, that's Hank McCoy. His short friend over there. That's Charles Xavier."

"Never heard of him." Shaw muttered. "At least you could choose a more popular person."

"No." Emma answered with a grin "He's perfect."

"What's his deal?"

"I know him. We have English together." Azazel muttered, his tail curling around him. "A bit of a loser if I must say, but insanely smart. Heard rumors about him being a virgin." he laughed when Shaw made a disgusted face. 

"How do you know?"

"I was kind of bored one day and listened to his conversation with that chick Moira. He mentioned that he's never been kissed when Moira was telling him about her date with Sean Cassidy." 

"Oh, the virgins are always the hardest to get rid of." Shaw scoffed. "But I accept the bet."

"I knew you will." Emma replied smugly. "Oh, and didn't I mention? He's a telepath, so you better watch out what you're thinking around him."

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of the break and Emma stood abruptly, blowing a kiss in Shaw's direction to go to her next class. 

Erik tried to catch a glimpse of this Charles Xavier's face, but couldn't. He was too far away to see anything and the sun was in his face. 

And, well, it's not like he cared, right?

 

  
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" someone asked him, and Erik cast a glance at all the other desks in the room. Yes, all of them were occupied and the only free seat was the one next to him. As always. It seemed like no one wanted to sit next to Erik, and that was fine, he didn't want anyone bothering him. 

But now he didn't have a choice and he looked up at the person who addressed the question, coming face to face with possibly the cutest guy in the world. Even with Erik sitting down, he could clearly tell that the guy was shorter than him, but he had an attractive build, soft, but yet oddly proud, in a way. His eyes were the deepest shade of blue, something Erik has never seen before, with lips as red as a cherry, and a nose maybe a little too big for his face, but that somehow completed the gorgeous features on this guy's face. 

"Um..." the guy muttered embarrassed after a long pause in which Erik realized that he hadn't responded. 

"No, it's not. You can sit." Erik told him and the guy smiled gratefully before sitting down, pulling a notebook and a pen out of his backpack. 

"Thank you so much, I was afraid that for a second there weren't available seats in this class, even though Miss Terrance told me there were after I asked to take this class instead of Spanish." 

Somehow Erik didn't mind that his desk-mate was already chatting him up. Not when he could listen to that accented voice all day. The guy's words surprised him:

"You know that most of the people think Spanish is easier than German, right?" 

"I know, but I just couldn't do it anymore. Spanish is a nightmare for me. It's such a beautiful language to hear, but nothing rubbed on me. I had to get out of here. And well, I admit, the rest of the classes were full."

Erik felt a smile coming to his lips, and he tempered the shark-like grin, before shaking his head at the guy. 

"Well good luck, and welcome to hell, I guess." 

"How hard can it be?" the guy wondered. 

"Let's just say that I was born in Germany, and I'm fluent and even I think it's kind of a bitch." Erik shrugged, making the guy laugh out loud. He had an amazing laugh. And an amazing smile. He had an amazing everything. 

"Well, then, I guess I'm bloody screwed. Oh, how awfully impolite of me. I'm Charles Xavier." he said, thrusting his hand out for Erik to shake. 

Oh. 

_Oh_. 

The telepath. 

Shaw's prey. 

He wondered if Sebastian managed to get a glimpse of his prey's gorgeousness. Erik took the stretched hand and shook it for a few seconds. It was warm and small and so, so delicate in his.

"Erik Lehnsherr." 

"Is it with a C, or a K?"

"Erik with a K."

"How very German." Charles laughed. "Well, Erik with a K, I hope we'll be friends, because it seems like I'll need some help with my German in the foreseeable future."

My God.

But Erik was _fucked._

 

Erik spent the whole class trying not to think too loudly at Shaw's bet, followed by _aren't you a despicable human being? the guy could be stripped from his purity because you kept your mouth shut_ followed by _why do you even care? if he's stupid enough to fall for Shaw then so be it_. He sneaked a few glances in Charles' general direction, swooning quietly when he caught the boy taking fast notes in something that didn't even resemble German. It felt unbelievable earnest to see him try so hard. 

With the teacher speaking only in German it was obvious to see how much Charles was struggling with himself and it was the determination he saw on his face that made Erik pack his things slowly at the end of the class, only to be able to talk to Charles.

"So..." Erik began, clearing his throat and waiting for his desk-mate to look up at him. "What do you think?"

"I'm screwed." Charles sighed, sticking out his bottom lip in a pout. Erik tried hard not to stare at his mouth. 

"I take it you didn't understand what Mr. Fitz said about the project?"

"Oh Lord, we have a project now? I'm double screwed. Can you please tell me? I'd stay behind to ask him about it, but he gives me the creeps." 

Erik snorted, covering the sound with a fake laugh. 

"We wouldn't want that to happen. It's a pretty huge project and it's 40% of our final grade. We can choose any topic we want as long as it involves Germany somehow. Um... and we have to work in pairs. I mean. We'll have to work with our desk-mate, but I'm pretty sure we can change if we're not happy with the arrangements. I can talk with Mr. Fitz for you..." Erik was aware that he was babbling like an idiot, so he stopped before it got too weird. 

"Are you kidding? I'd love to have you as my partner! Not because you can speak German, but you seem like a genuinely good person. And don't worry, I'm not going to make you do everything, even though I don't know the language yet." Charles' face lighted up suddenly and he grabbed onto Erik's wrist in his excitement. "Oh, hey, you can even tutor me, if you want. If you don't that's alright, but I bet I'll have lots of things to learn from you, seeing as you are fluent."

"Oh... um." Erik sputtered, making Charles giggle. He patted his hand softly before he stood up. 

"No pressure, okay? Just think about it. I have chemistry in five minutes and I have to go. Bye, Erik!" he shouted before sprinting out of the room, waving his hand at Erik again before going out of sight. 

Erik remained in his seat, perplexed. 

What just happened? 


	2. two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that's two chapters in two days. Hopefully I can keep this up. I love writing this story!   
> Thank you to everyone who bookmarked, commented and read. You guys rock and you keep me going! xx

Erik managed to avoid crossing paths with Charles or Sebastian for the rest of the day. When the last bell rung, he sprinted to the parking lot, climbing in his car and going straight home. He was acting like a weirdo. Even more so than usual, but he felt horribly confused. Erik was debating on whether he should take Charles up on his offer to tutor him, while also thinking about that stupid bet. Which was annoying as hell considering he wasn't involved in their stupid bet. Only thinking about Charles' earnest eyes made his cynical thoughts disappear. 

His mother was home from her shift, and he was greeted by the unmistakable smell of homemade stew, making him realize how hungry he was. 

"Hallo, Mama!" Erik shouted, toying his shoes off and throwing his backpack on the couch. His mother was stirring something in a pot on the stove, and she turned her cheek in his direction for a kiss, when she heard him enter the kitchen. 

"Hallo, Liebling. How was your day?" 

He opened the fridge, pulling out the orange juice to take a sip. His mother frowned in his direction, getting a glass from the cabinet. 

"Use a glass, Liebling. It's disgusting to drink straight from the carton." 

"I know, we've had this discussion before." 

Edie rolled her eyes at him, placing the wooden spoon on a plate and turning towards him with her hands on her hips. 

"So, how was your day?"

Erik shrugged, putting the orange juice back in the fridge and taking a seat at the small table. 

"Pretty good, same as always."

"Is it something the matter? It's something troubling you, Liebling?" she asked, concerned, running her fingers through his hair, helping Erik relax. His mother was the most important thing in the world for him.

She was everything and Erik loved her with all his being, even though he didn't say it too often. He knew that Edie felt his love just how much he knew that she loved him in return, and that she was proud of him no matter what he did. 

"I got a proposition today."

"If it involves you being a sugar baby then I don't want to hear it." his mother muttered with a smirk, making Erik freeze. 

"Mama... how do you know what sugar babies are?" 

"Please, my dear, I've been on this Earth longer than you. Just because I don't talk about it that doesn't mean I don't know about it." she winked at him, making Erik sputter. 

"Mama!" he cried out, covering his face. "I don't want to know. And no... it's not a sugar baby proposition."

"Oh, then what is it?" 

"A guy just transferred from Spanish to German and he can't say a word. He sits next to me and our teacher asked us to do a project with our desk-mate. Now, he said that he'll be happy to do this project with me, and he asked me if I could tutor him."

"Ooh, that's so exciting, Schatzi! What have you told him?"

"He said to think about it. And I am. But I don't know... I've never tutored anyone in my life."

"Is he cute?"

"Mama!" Erik exclaimed once again. Despite the mortification, he felt his lips curling into a smile. 

"From your smile I take it that he is."

"Yeah... he's very cute, but that's not the point." 

"Then what is the point?" she asked, turning her back on him to stir in the pot again. 

"I told you, I've never tutored someone in my life. And I don't even know him."

"But you could, know him, I mean. And besides, it could be good practice for you, Schatzi. Making friends, talking to human beings instead of sitting coped in your room all day playing with metal or watching soap-operas with me." 

Erik threw her a mock-betrayed look, making his mother giggle. 

"You said you were never going to mention anything about the soap-operas!" 

"You're so dramatic sometimes, Erik. I swear to God, I don't know who you take after." at Erik raised eyebrow she huffed: "Go and wash up, we're eating in ten minutes." 

"Yes, Sir."

 

The following day Erik woke up with his mother's words ringing in his ears. Perhaps she was right. A little bit of socializing wasn't going to kill him, and Charles seemed like a genuinely good person, even if his first impressions were ones of a gullible man. He thought Erik was a nice person. He even told him that, and Erik wanted to laugh then. There wasn't anything nice about his appearance, or the way he treated people, but he found himself caring a little bit more than usual about what Charles thought of him. So he promised himself to at least try and be decent towards the telepath. 

Through the day he went looking for Charles, but of course he never found him. At some point he even saw that tall, lanky boy McCoy, and he tried to approach him, but when he saw Erik coming his way, he let out a squeak and ran faster than it was humanly possible. Erik laughed to himself, sometimes he felt good knowing the power he held over other people; it was refreshing.   
He had P.E. just after lunch, and was surprised and a little bit relieved to see Charles leaning against the rail that separated the field from the bleachers, blushing up a storm and talking to no one other than Sebastian Shaw. Something hot settled in the pit of his stomach, but he pushed his emotions down. It seemed like Shaw was already putting his plan in motion, and by the looks of it, Charles was falling way to easily into his trap. 

What a fucking joke. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that Charles was smarter than that, but sadly, he also knew the power of Shaw's dazzling smile. There was a time when Shaw tried to catch Erik's attention with that smile as well, but sadly for him, Erik wasn't interested in conceited, rich boys that thought the world was spinning just for them. 

Coach Fury was waiting patiently for all the boys to gather on the field, and Erik went in that direction, only stopping when Charles called his name. 

"Remember me?" Charles asked, his cheeks still rosy from whatever Shaw was saying, but his smile and his eyes as easy and light as yesterday. "I'm Charles Xavier, from German?"

"Yeah." Erik muttered, stopping next to them. Shaw narrowed his eyes at Erik in a pathetic excuse of a glare, before turning that sunny fake smile in Charles's direction as well. "I remember you." Erik finished. 

"I know I said no pressure, but have you thought about what we've talked yesterday?" 

"Sure." Erik shrugged in a gesture that wanted to be nonchalant. "I'll tutor you." 

"Oh, Erik, thank you so much!" Charles replied excitedly. "When can we start? Oh, here, put your number on my phone so it'll be easier to keep in touch." he trusted his phone in Erik's hands, who was startled by the gesture and almost dropped the phone on the ground. Thankfully, he was quick enough to catch it with his powers before it shattered. He punched his number in, shooting a quick text to himself so he could have Charles' number as well, before sliding the phone back in Charles' pocket. 

"That's a really groovy mutation!" Charles exclaimed, drawing the looks of some people. "Telekinesis?"

"Metallokinesis. I can control metal." Erik replied, before the sharp whistle of Coach Fury made itself heard. "I have to go, but text me and we'll settle a time that works for both of us."

"Sure, and thank you so much again, Erik!" 

For the briefest moment Erik had the horrific realization that Charles might lean over the rail and pull him into a hug, so he said his goodbyes quickly and ran to Fury. He pretended that he couldn't feel Shaw's eyes glaring daggers at his back, 

Erik felt terribly good for the rest of the day.

 

_Hi, this is Charles Xavier! :)_

_Sorry to bother you at this hour, I was pretty busy during the day and I've just remembered to text you._

_Thank you for agreeing to tutor me, you can't imagine how grateful I am._

**Hi, Charles.**

**It's no problem, really. You don't have to thank me so many times.**

**I'm just going to say that I'm always free on the afternoons except for Sundays**. 

_I wouldn't make you tutor me on Sundays, haha. Or the weekend altogether._

_Also, so am I, but I guess that meeting five times a week could get pretty annoying at some point._

**That too.**

**Maybe we could work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.**

_That sounds perfect!! :)_

_It's good for me._

**We can start this Wednesday**. 

_Sure!!! The sooner the better._

**Exactly. And maybe after a few weeks we could also start working on our project.**

_Yes, that sounds wonderful!_

_Thank you._

_I'll see you tomorrow at school._

**Sure, see you then.**

_Oh, I almost forgot. Where are we going to hold this tutoring sessions?_

_I live in Westchester. That's pretty far and I wouldn't want to make you drive up here. Maybe we could use the library._

**Or at my place. It's only me and my mother and it would be more comfortable. Plus she almost always at work.**

_Wherever you are comfortable. :)_

_Goodnight, Erik!_

**Goodnight, Charles. :)**


	3. three.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thank you for patiently waiting for this chapter, I'm sorry for delivering so late, but hopefully you'll like it. Next chapter will be the first German lesson for Charles! :) 
> 
> P.S.: Careful, Erik's a real sweetheart in this one! :) 
> 
> Much love xx

On Wednesday he stumbled upon Charles by accident. By accident meaning he was careful to avoid Shaw and the others' usual routes. Erik knew that Shaw prepared a whole speech for him, from asking _how did he know Charles_ to _what about those tutoring lessons._ Erik didn't have the patience to deal with him or the rest of his gang. So he took it upon himself to discover the rest of the high-school, following familiar traces of metal and passing the same door at least five times.

Okay, so maybe exploring the high-school was a bad idea. God knows where he was, these hallways were empty and he had less than fifteen minutes to make it to his next class on time.   
For the sixth time he made an abrupt turn, but this time he collided with someone so hard that books and papers flew everywhere and Erik was left clinging to the other person to stop them from falling. 

Of course it had to be Charles. 

"Hi!" the blue eyed boy muttered, a bit shaken from the impact and the scare of an upcoming fall. 

"I'm so sorry." Erik gasped out, feeling his blood travel to his face. "I didn't see you and I'm in a hurry." he continued, making sure Charles was safe on his feet before he bent to collect the books and papers. "Are you hurt?"

"It's no problem, I'm alright." before Charles had the chance to pick up his books, Erik was already putting them in his arms. "Thank you, Erik. I've never seen you around here."

"Well, I've never been around here. I'm sort of... lost? I had no idea this high-school was so big."

Charles giggled shaking his head. 

"Where are you headed? I'll show you in a minute. I have to leave these books in my locker."

"Advanced Math." Erik muttered, taking the books from Charles' arms to carry them. It was the least he could do, considering. "These are quite heavy." 

"I got used to them. Wait. You said Advanced Math. With Ms. Davis?"

"Yeah."

"Huh, looks like we share another class. I was going that way right now." 

"Really? I don't remember seeing you there." 

Charles grinned, opening his locker and Erik stuffed his books there. 

"No one really does." he heard the telepath say. 

Erik felt the guilt seeping through his bones upon hearing the other boy's words. Today Charles was wearing incredibly tight black-jeans and a ridiculously over-sized colorful sweater. His hair was flopping in his face, curling around his ears and at his forehead and the sight of him so soft and adorable melted Erik's heart. Of course he wouldn't stand out against the sea of hot, fashionable people that attended that high-school, but Erik thought that there was something really special about the telepath. Something that made you stop and stare, and stare, and stare without feeling the need to avert your eyes. Charles was by no means the hottest or the sexiest guy Erik ever encountered, but he surely was the prettiest. 

_Pretty._

That was the adjective that best described Charles and he almost laughed thinking that he never called someone pretty in his entire life. But here he was, the telepath, looking like every good quality wrapped in a single word; _pretty_. 

"Are you ready?" Charles asked, blushing when he noticed how insistently Erik was looking at him. 

"Sure, lead the way."

 

Erik loved math. He loved everything that had to do with numbers. When he and his parents moved from Germany to America he didn't know any English. Starting from the bottom at the age of six was tough, but he managed somehow. At school, when he was just a little boy and he was still struggling with English, the other kids making fun of his thick accent, math was the only thing he was good at. Because no matter what, it was the same in every language. 

He was almost sad when he noticed the class ended and it was already lunch break. 

"Are you going to lunch?" Charles interrupted his packing and when he looked up the boy was smiling down at him. "I forgot to tell you thank you for carrying my books." 

"No problem. It was the least I could do considering I made you drop them all over the floor." He stood up noticing the difference in height between him and Charles. It made him think how good Charles would fit against him, with his head just under Erik's chin. 

_Telepath_ he reminded himself. Don't think these type of things around him.

"So would you like to have lunch with me and my friend Hank?" Charles said in a rush, blushing when Erik threw him an almost shocked look. "I was thinking that maybe we could settle some details. For our tutoring lessons seeing as it's already Wednesday."

"Right. Tutoring." 

"In case you haven't changed your mind?" 

"What? No, of course I didn't change my mind." 

Charles' answering smile was blinding and he pulled Erik by his arm to drag him among the rest of their classmates who were rushing to eat. 

"Thank you." 

"I told you not to thank me so many times." Erik grumbled. 

"I just feel the need to. Oh, you're going to love Hank. He's absolutely magnificent. I don't know if you know but he's a mutant. Oh! I'm a mutant too. I'm a telepath, but don't worry I won't go around snooping in your head. I have standards." 

Erik chuckled even though he didn't want to. Normally he would get annoyed if someone tried to chat him up so much. He found most of the people revolting, talking without making much sense and stepping on his last nerves. Somehow Charles' voice seemed soothing amongst the chatter of the other people, his voice full of delight, slipping into that British accent even more heavily, curving his lips around the words. He made it difficult not to stare at his mouth. 

"What's his mutation?" Erik heard himself asking.

"Well, we haven't discovered yet. He is insanely smart for starters."

"Like you?" the taller boy complimented, making Charles flush with pleasure. 

"I consider myself hardworking rather than smart."

"How humble." 

"But he's worse! He should have been in college at the age of fifteen, but his parents wanted him to have the full high-school experience so he's going to graduate with the rest of us. And he also has... um.. animal feet, somehow?" 

"Sorry?" Erik asked, thinking that he hadn't heard quite right. "What do you mean animal feet?"

"Do you know Beauty and the Beast?"

Erik wasn't going to tell him that he was a Disney movies bitch, so he only nodded. 

"Think about Beast's feet, but more humanly looking. I don't know how to explain without seeming weird! He can run very fast." 

This time Erik laughed, shaking his head. 

"No mutation is too weird, Charles." 

"I didn't mean it like that." the telepath rolled his eyes. "I was just saying-"

He stopped suddenly for a second, closing his eyes with a pained look on his face. Erik didn't have time to ask him what was wrong because Charles was suddenly running, grabbing Erik's arm to pull him forcefully inside the cafeteria. The first thing he noticed was the group of people, idiots from his team, gathered in a circle around someone Erik couldn't see. They were yelling and pushing, laughing among themselves while the other people were at the tables, either whispering or laughing at what was happening. The person in the middle turned and Erik recognized Hank McCoy, with his shirt slightly unbuttoned and his glasses askew on his face. One of the lentils was broken. 

He wanted to ask Charles what was happening, but the telepath was already making his way towards the small circle of boys whom were torturing poor Hank. 

"Excuse me!" Charles snapped. "Is there a problem?"

"Whatcha need, girl?" Thomas, captain of their team, notorious troublemaker when it came to mutants and the biggest idiot out there, asked. 

"Leave him alone."

"Can't do that, sweetcheeks." Brock replied, moving his hand to touch Charles' cheek. "Aren't you a pretty little thing? Came to save your boyfriend?" 

Erik saw red. He didn't know he was reaching out with his powers for something until Brock broke down in a yell, clutching at the watch on his wrist. 

"Don't touch him." Erik growled, stepping closer to the group. "Is there a problem, Cooper?" he asked Thomas who glared at him through his smirk. 

"We were having a little bit of fun, Lehnsherr. We just heard about Hank's beautiful condition and we wanted to... send our love in a specific way." 

A spoon flew through the air, cutting the circle in half and only stopping in front of Thomas' nose. He laughed mockingly in Erik's direction. 

"A spoon, Lehnsherr. Really? You can do better." 

"I can gauge your eyes with this spoon so fast that you won't know what hit you." 

"Empty threats, man, we've all heard them before." 

He turned the spoon in the air, melting it right on the spot and turning it into a sharp, little dagger. Moving it closer to the idiot's face and pressing the tip between Thomas' eyes. 

"Would you like to try me?" 

The boy's eyes followed the dagger, his nostrils flaring and blood rushing to his face. He just got embarrassed in front of the school by the emo kid (as some of his colleagues liked to call him). Thomas stepped back, rising his hands in surrender and Erik smiled, turning the dagger back in its original form. The other guys in the team gathered around their captain, all of them shooting angry looks in Erik's direction. 

"You win this round, Lehnsherr."

"I always win, Thomas, but whatever helps you sleep at night." 

They left quickly and Erik had to glare around them to make the other people at lunch return to their meals. He looked at Charles and Hank. The poor boy was still shaken up, his shorter friend murmuring calming words softly to him, while trying to button Hank's shirt correctly. 

"Why didn't you reach for me?" Charles was mumbling, shaking his head like a disappointed parent. 

"And risk them pick on you too? No way." Hank grumbled, turning pink when he noticed Erik sitting there. "Thank you, but you didn't have to do that. You're probably going to get into trouble because of me."

"I won't. I have this thing with him since the beginning of high-school. He won't tell anything. He's a fucking idiot, sure, but he's also a proud fucking idiot." Erik paused for a second and said with a slight smile.

"Your glasses are broken."

"Of course they are." Hank sighed. "I'm going to get myself some milk. I'm not hungry anymore." 

"We'll grab a table then." Charles muttered, before his friend left. 

They found a corner table, right next to the glass windows. Erik saw Janos waving him over, but chose to ignore him, and instead sat down on one of the plastic chairs. He wanted to ask Charles if he wanted something to eat, but all the words left his tongue when the telepath put his arms around his neck in a hug. Erik was frozen in shock. 

"Thank you for what you did, my friend." 

Upon hearing Charles' words he managed to shake himself out of the stupor, putting his arms awkwardly around Charles as well in a brief hug. 

_Friend._

He liked the sound of that.


End file.
